Heart's rhythm
by Melodictales
Summary: "Because our love broke my heart, and stopped yours." An AU setting without magic, just some slow, elaborated development. [AU] [Melodrama] [Slow Start]
1. Chapter 0

0\. Prologue

The heart, one of the most vital organs in the human body. At the mere size of your fists, it contains enough force to pump 4.5 to 5.7 litres of blood throughout the body per minute. Beating approximately 72 times while doing so, if the average human lived about 80 years, it would have completed 3 billion oscillations; bam-dum, bam-dum, to keep you alive. And it does so independent from your brain, that is to say it's completely voluntary and works by itself. Simply astounding.

No surprise that this organ has gotten itself involved with the most illogical human emotion of all – love.

(Author's notes - Welcome to Heart's rhythm! This short intro is catered to those who browses on their mobiles, so they can access further chapters with little hassle. There's going to be quite some volume in this stories, mostly made of fluffy, naturalistic situations, and a tremendous ending to conclude. Well, hopefully Im not being overzealous like our dear protagonist here, and I actually conclude this prime and proper. Anyways, hope you enjoy, and comments are always welcome :)


	2. Chapter 1

1\. Neighbours

She looked around at the cluster of random furniture's splayed out her living room, signs of her lax, or as her mama would call her, sluggish nature. Kaname Madoka let out a sign; maybe she was right. Whilst supporting the idea of independent living, Kaname Junko had also her fair share teasing her daughter. Between late night drinks to wind down and talk, she would often crackle over her daughters decision.

"You don't even feel comfortable sleeping alone in the house. If Papa and I took Tasuya away, you would find some miserable excuse to sleepover at Sayaka's house. Have you ever realised you are nineteen?" Grasping the edge of the glass with her lissom fingers, she challenged Madoka, her mocking tone drawing a blush. Being naturally lightweight and yet possessing a insatiable crave for alcohol brought forth her indiscriminate behaviour each night.

Madoka sat silently, cupping her warm cocoa and sink her ever so slightly pouty face to the table. Despite her teasing, she know her mother meant well, and this was confirmed by the gentle pat to her back, with the hint of a smile that carried all the concern a mother has for her child.

She slouched back into the misplaced sofa and signed again. Perhaps her mother was right, she was organised, but her naive personality meant far less experience than her mother, which eventually brought forth and demise which emanated in this particular situation.

She rolled over to the side, and muffled her groans with the hems of her turtleneck. Its autumn and its surprisingly chilly, as depicted leaves, or rather, lack of leaves on the trees outside her window. When she viewed this apartment with her mama in early fall, the sentient Maples brought forth a gorgeous panorama to charm her, their splendid colours showcased in an epic sunset amber. The house was settled in a rustic neighbourhood; sleepy yet charming. The setting was perfect for Madoka, whom was working as a nurse and she could use the scenery to ease herself from the distress at work. Her home was a stout little building made of warm-coloured bricks; it had lots of windows to let in the sun, except along the wall it shared with her neighbour. It was the sort of building that looked like two identical but mirror-flipped houses that had somehow fused together. With that, Madoka felt slightly relieved at the thought of having a neighbour at close proximity to ease her nightly fears. It was so perfect, and Junko signed the paperwork on the spot.

The interior was bright and airy, with ample windows to filter light. Despite being vacant, it seemed so warm and cosy. Rather, that was how it seemed before, without her ambitious plan to move the furniture and allocate them to perfection where they should be without the hassle of the moving team.

"Its a lot cosier now." She chucked silently to herself. Bad jokes, bad habits. Runs in the family.

She shifted slightly and sat up. The lazy autumn sun hangs low, and light of the sunset angles through the window. Its getting late and getting all this done by herself tonight seemed like a daunting, if not impossible task to accomplish. Perhaps she could call up a moving team, or ask Sayaka to help out tomorrow. Either way, its best to leave things as it is and allow herself some break. Maybe a slight walk around the neighbourhood would do charms to improve her discouraged mood.

She marched out the front door and walked into fate herself.

And was she beautiful.

Right next in front of their adjacent door, stood a lithe young women, maybe the same age as her. A single black cardigan draped across her daisy coloured one-piece shirt, single buttoned at her collar and showcasing her well-defined collarbone and slight shoulder frame. Long, luscious black locks trail slightly behind her in the chilly autumn wind. Long bangs framed her small, pale face, complimenting her rosy lips.

Yet what stood out the most was her unmoving gaze, radiated from those deep lavender eyes which seemingly pierced into Madoka's soul.

Simply haunting.

"Umm... Hi." Madoka broke out of the trance and gave a weak wave.

Those intense eyes narrowed.

She swallowed. She was never comfortable socialising, and the fact that it was with a beauty with a cool demeanour.

She lowered her head slightly to avoid her gaze, and bit her lips. She did not anticipate a reply in particular. Some people just functioned this way, she understood. They weren't unfriendly, just too focused and rigid to show attention to others. Such is the way of the adult society. Her mama would be much suited to deal with this than her.

"Did you just move in?" Her voice was soft and modulated, well suited to be one of the kindly elementary school teachers in first grade who would tell you stories and read in her soothing voice, all for you to fall asleep unintentionally, and she would wake you up all the same, chiding ever so gently with a warm smile whilst the class laughs and giggles.

"Umm... yes..." Madoka gave a nervous smile.

"I see..." She gave a brief reply before turning away to start unlocking her door. "Shouldn't you be busy then?"

"Well, I kind of was. Then I realised that doing it all by myself was pointless, so I decided to take a walk instead."

The woman stopped her actions abruptly. "All by yourself?"

"Mmhmm..."

"Don't you have friends or families to help?"

"They are busy." She paused momentarily before giving a quick fib. She wasn't going to tell a stranger about her incompetence yet.

The women turns back and looks at her, evaluating her again.

"Do you need help then?" She asked.

Madoka blinked. She wasn't expecting that.

"Yes please! I mean... only if don't mind, or you are not busy or something..." Her voice got softer as she lost the momentum of her initial surprise.

"I won't mind helping my neighbour." A thin hand is held out. "Akemi Homura. Pleased to meet you."

A smile plays across her lips as she receives her grip. "Kaname Madoka. Pleased to meet you."

The tense atmosphere dissolved across them.

How fortunate it was to be neighbours.


End file.
